Birmingham's ballpark building team now in place

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Construction of a new $60 million downtown baseball park is projected to create 500 jobs with a payroll of more than $18 million.

The construction and de­sign team for the new base­ball park next to the Bir­mingham Railroad Park is in place and includes more than 61 percent minority firms, and most companies are based in Birmingham. In all more than 50 companies, suppliers and contractors are expected to be part of the construction, design and development of the project, officials said.

"The baseball development is about more than just a new recreational facility," Birmingham Mayor William Bell said Friday. "It is about jobs and economic development and growth for our city. The push to use local and minority business owners will infuse capital into our local economy and put individuals to work on a project here at home that we all will benefit from."

In addition to the well-known Birmingham heavy hitters in the construction and design industry such as Brasfield & Gorrie and GA Studio, the team on the baseball park includes some national major-league players.

For instance, the baseball architect on the project, Dallas-based HKS Inc., designed Miller Park in Milwaukee (home to Major League Baseball's Milwaukee Brewers) and Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, Texas (home to the minor league Corpus Christi Hooks), among other baseball parks and football stadiums.

PARKSIDE BASEBALL DESIGNAND CONSTRUCTION TEAM

More
than 60 percent of the construction and design team for the planned
baseball park downtown is made up of minority firms, more than double
the 30 percent required for government projects. Moreover, the vast
majority of the businesses involved are based in Birmingham.

Having the primary team in place enables the specifics of the park's design, orientation and scale to start taking shape. Analysis of the property and geotechnical makeup of the ground is also possible as the city plans to build the ballpark between 14th and 16th Streets and between First Avenue South and Third Avenue South.

All of that work will help determine the final cost of building the ballpark, which will become home to the Birmingham Barons minor league baseball team that now plays in Hoover's Regions Park.

The development will also include a Negro League museum.

Chuck Faush, Bell's chief of staff, said the city is required to have 30 percent minority participation on government construction projects. The $70 million Westin Marketplace hotel and entertainment district being built next to the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex has 38 percent. Faush said the mayor made it clear he wanted that percentage to be even higher for the baseball park.

"The mayor wanted as many qualified minority firms as possible, as many local firms as possible and as many firms as possible with experience building a project like this," Faush said. "I think we've achieved all of his criteria."

Missing pieces

Apart from the work that now has to take place on the ballpark itself, other issues remain unresolved.

The new development needs to fit in with UAB's master plan for its ever-growing campus and medical facilities.

The orientation of the baseball field and the seating for its fans have to fit in with what Major League Baseball requires, which accounts for sunlight at various times of day and other factors.

One piece of property, the B&A Warehouse, is also still in dispute. The owners of the old warehouse have been unwilling to sell to the city for the baseball project and the catering and events business housed there is also at risk by the project.

The city has threatened the use of eminent domain to get the property while the owners have suggested incorporating the business into the ballpark development.

"The city is going to make every effort to talk to the owners as things develop," Faush said. "The mayor, (Baron's owner) Don Logan and others have had conversations with the owners and those will continue."

Faush said the design of the ballpark needs to be appealing to visitors to Railroad Park, surrounding businesses and the Barons and their fans that will mostly use the ballpark.

"We're looking for something that is in keeping with the area, not something that looks like it doesn't belong there," he said. "We want it to be inviting and have activity even when a baseball game is not taking place."

Bell said the baseball park is the third major project his administration will see come to fruition and all have something in common.

"Setting up entertainment and sports districts throughout the city will benefit the entire region," he said. "We are seeing that idea take root in the western area of town with the opening of Crossplex and the bookings that we already have in place for that venue. We will see an entertainment district on the northern side of town with the completion of the Westin Marketplace, and the baseball park with give us joint sports and entertainment district with Railroad Park and the surrounding mixed use developments."